In 1998 a group of people responded to an outreach from Earl Schmidt, the long standing leader of the Arc of Adams County. Mr. Schmidt was looking for some help to revitalize the organization. He found help and over the last eighteen years we have been active and we've grown!

We now have a physical office at 17 Rice Avenue in Biglerville, Pennsylvania.

Our office is staffed with an advocate who provides guidance, referrals and advocacy on request.

Once a month for the last14 years one of our board members has written an article on a topic of concern to the Intellectually/developmentally disabled community and their caregivers to be published in the Gettysburg Times.

Four times during the school year the Arc sponsors Friday Fun Night. These evenings serve as a social time for 15 to 80 year olds with special needs. Our attendance is 75 to 90 folks. They have a good time doing crafts, visiting, dancing, playing bingo and of course eating pizza.

We sponsor educational forums on topics that cover a wide range of topics from Life After Graduation to A Beautiful Healthy You​.

​ Intellectual/Developmental Disabilities (I/DD) directly affect one out of every ten families in America. It cuts across racial, ethnic, educational, social and economic lines.

Parents of children with I/DD are often faced with the responsibility of providing lifelong planning and care for their loved one. Such care can be draining both mentally and physically for the caregiver. The Arc of Adams County seeks to increase public awareness about I/DD and the needs as well as the wonderful potential of persons with I/DD. It is our mission to help you find the services you need in order to be able to care for your loved one. We can facilitate referral and lend support.

A Leader in Disability Rights The Arc is the largest national community-based organization advocating for and serving people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families. We encompass all ages and more than 100 different diagnoses including autism, Down syndrome, Fragile X syndrome, and various other developmental disabilities.

Strong National Presence With nearly 700 state and local chapters nationwide, The Arc is on the front lines to ensure that people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families have the support and services they need to be fully engaged in their communities. The Arc works with its federation of state and local chapters to create an impressive network of human service agencies ensuring they have the strongest civil rights advocates promoting and protecting their needs at all levels.